Auxiliary presser-foot lifting device



Jan. 8, 1946. J; P. ENO S 2,392,730

AUXILIARY PRESSER-FOOT LiIFTING DEVICES Filed Jan. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 8, 1946. J. P. ENOS AUXILIARY PRESSER-FOOT LIFTING DEVICES Filed Jan. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @VEE Patented Jan. 8, 1946 AUXILIARY PRESSER-FOOT LIFTING DEVICE John P. Enos, Union, N. J assignor to The. Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application January 5, 1945, Serial No. 571,477

13 Claims. (Cl. 112237) This invention relates to sewing machine presser-foot lifting means and particularly to the provision of a special control auxiliary to the usual means by which the presser-foot is manually movable from its fully lowered or normal operating position on the throat plate to its extreme elevated or inoperative position.

In order to perform darning operations on sewing machines, it is desirable to have the usual presser-foot disposed so as to provide for the requisite shifting of the work while insuring that the work is stripped from and prevented from rising with the needle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a conveniently located and readily operable auxiliary control by which .the presser-foot, can be elevated to and locked in any one of several positions intermediate the indicated extremes, in order to adapt the machine to perform darning operations on materials of various thicknesses.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from whichthe several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the headend of a sewing machine bracket-arm having the invention applied thereto, the end cover of the head being removed; V

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view, also with the head cover removed; 7 7

Figs. 3, 4 and are sectional views on the lines 3-3, 44 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the control unit detached from the machine and viewed from the reverse side from that shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7-is a diagrammaticview indicating the several positions of adjustment of the presserfoot available in a machine equipped with the illustrated control.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the overhanging bracket-arm I of the machine terminates in a head 2, in which is mounted a presser-bar 3, to the lower end of which is secured the presser-foot 4. As usual, the presser bar is normally held in its lowered or operative position (Figs. 1 and 2) by a spring 5, the lower end of the spring engaging the upper surface of a collar 6 secured to the presser-bar and the upper end of the spring abutting a pressure-adjusting sleeve 1 threaded into the upper part of the head 2. Slightly below the collar 6, a second collar 8 is slidingly mounted, upon the presser-bar 3 to engage the collar 6; the collar 8 having a rearwardly rojecting extension 9, the undersurface H] of which overlies the cam surface Ii of the customary hand-lifter lever I2. The lever I2 is pivoted on a stud 13 secured, by a set-screw M, in a hole [5 in the head (Fig. 4), and operates in the usual manner to elevate the presser-foot from the normal operating or fullline position A, of Fig. '7, to the dash-and-dotline position E. V

In the particular machine illustrated, a second means is provided for lifting the presser-foot from its A position to its E position; this second means being so arranged that it can be coupled, for example, to a treadle for foot operation. To the extent necessary to an understanding of the present invention this second means is indicated as including a lifting lever l6 pivoted at I! on the rear of the bracket-arm I (Fig. 1) and carrying a pin I8 projecting into the head 2 for. engagement in a slot H! in a link connected by a screw 2| with the rearward extension 9 of collar 8. As will be apparent, upward movement of the forward end of lifting lever It raises the presser bar and presser-foot, the lost-motion slot [9 permitting the presser-bar to be raised by this means or alternatively by hand-lifting lever [2, as convenient.

In the form of the invention shown for purposes of illustration, the auxiliary control, now to be described, is in the form of a unit suitable for attachment to a machine of the kind above. indicated. It comprises a mounting plate 22 secured to the bracket-arm head 2 by a nut 23 on the set-screw l4, and by a tab 24 to which is secured a stud 25-located in the hole l5. Pivotally mounted at 26 on the upper end of plate 22 is a substantially T-shaped or three-armed lever, generally designated as 21. The upwardly directed arm 28 of the lever, by which 'the lever is pivoted to plate 22, is formed with a cam sur-. face 29 across its upper edge on which rides a roller 30 mounted on the lifting lever IS. The roller is held in engagement with the cam sur face 29 by a spring 3| acting on the lever I6 and tending to turn it clockwise, as seen in Fig. 1. As will be apparent, movement of the lever 21 about its pivot causes the cam surface 29 to vary the position of lifting lever l6 and, through it, the position of the presser-foot. vThe arm 32 of the lever 21, which extends away from the head 2 in a direction more or less parallel to the lifting relatively to the-mounting plate 22 in any oneof several positions of adjustment or settings of the cam surface 29, such settings representing the intermediate presser-foot positions B, C and D indicated in Fig; '7. In the preferred form illustrated, the locking means, also mounted Wholly on the plate 22, includes a latch member 33' mounted to slide on the downwardly projecting or third arm 34 of lever 21', as by means of the stud and slot connection 35, 36. The lower end of the latch member 33 is bent over to form a lockingpiece 31 engageable with any one of a series of appropriately spaced notches 38", 39, 49 and. ll. formed in. the lower edge of the mounting plate 22. The end-notch 3'8 with which the looking piece is shown engaged in Figs. 1 and 6 represents. the. inactive position. of the cam surface 29, that. is, the position in which the presser-foot isin' its normal or lowest operating position,

whereasthe notches 39, dfland 4| represent cam neously therewith, and a spring normally holding the said members in cam-locking engagement.

.3. In a sewing. machine including a bracketarm having a head, a presser-bar mounted in the head, and a presser-bar lifting lever pivoted on and extending lengthwise of the bracket-arm, the combination therewith of a cam mounted for rotation relatively to the head with it'scam surface in cooperative engagement with the lifting lever, an actuating arm for said cam extending generallyparallel to said lifting lever and below and spaced from the under side of the bracketarm, cam locking means adapted to lock the cam .in any one of a number of positions, and a lock release member mounted adjacent said actuating arm in a position to be grasped simultaneously therewith. v a

4. In a sewing machine including a bracket- 7 arm' having a head, a presser-bar mounted in the. head, and a presserbar lifting, lever pivoted onand extending lengthwise of the bracket-arm, the combination therewith of a cam mounted for rotation relatively to the head with its cam surjsurface positions corresponding to the presserfoot positions'B, C and D, respectively, of Fig. 7.

Thelatch member 33 is coupled at its upper end by a screw E2 to the adjacent end of a controllever 43,. the latter. being pivotally mounted at 44 on the actuating handle 32 and. so positioned with respect to the handle as to be readily grasped simultaneously with it. A spring iii serves to keep the handle 32 and control lever 43 norm-ally: spread apart and hence the locking piece 31 ofthe. latch member 33 in its notchengaging cream-locking position.

Having thus set forth thenature of the inventionwhat I claim herein is: r

1. lna'sewingmachine including a bracketarm having a head, a presser-bar mounted in the.

head; and a presser-b'ar lifting lever pivoted on and extending lengthwise of the bracket-arm,

the combination therewith of a roller on said lever, a cam mounted for rotation relatively to the head with its cam surface in engagement with the roller, an actuating arm forsaid cam extending generally parallel to said, lifting lever and below and spaced from the under side of the bracket-arm, a notched stop platesecured to the head, a cam latch movable with the cam and engageable with the, stop plate notches to look the. cam in any one of a number'ofpositions a latch release member pivotally' mounted on said actuating arm andlocated to be grasped face. in cooperative engagementwith the lifting lever, an actuating .arm for said cam, cam looking means adapted to lock the cam in any one of a number of positions, and'a lock release member mounted adj'acent'said actuating arm in a position to begrasped simultaneousl therewith.

.5. In a sewing machine including a bracketarm having a head, aprjesser-b'ar m'ountedin the head, and apress'er-bar lifting member, the combination therewith of a roller on said member, a cam rotatably supported on the head with'its cam surface in engagement with the roller, an ac .tuating arm for said cam extendingbelow' and spaced from the underside of the bracket arm,

' a notched stop plate secured to the head, a cam simultaneously. therewith, and a spring normally.

holding the latch in a cam-locking position,

2.: In a sewing machine including a bracket- 1 arm having a head, apresser-bar mounted in the head, and a ,presser bar lifting lever pivoted on andexten'din'g lengthwise of the bracket-arm,

the combination therewith of a cam mounted for rotation relatively tothe head with its cam surface in cooperative engagement with the lifting lever, an actuating arm for said cam extending generally parallel to said lifting lever and below and spaced from the under side of the bracketarm, a notched'plate member, a cam latch member' engageable with the stop plate notches, one

of said members being movable with the cam and the other being secured to the head to lock the cam in any one of a number of positions, a loci:v release'member pivotally mounted on said actuating arm and-"locatedto be grasped simultalatch movable with the cam and engageable with thestop plate notches to lock the cam in any one of a number of positions, a latch release member pivotally mounted on said actuating arm and located to be grasped 'simultaneouslylthere with,,and'a1 spring normally holding the latch in a cam-locking position.

g 6. In a sewing machine including a bracket armhavingahead, a presser-barmounted in the head, and presser-barlifting means, th'e'jcom-" bination therewith of a cam r tatabIysuppGrted on the, head with its cam surface in cooperative engagement with thelifting means, an actuating arm for said cam extending below and spaced from the under side/of the bracket-arm, a notched platemember, a cam latch member engageable with the stop plate notches, one'of' said members being movable with the cam'and the otherbei'n'g secured to the head to lock the camin anyone of a number of positions, and a lock release-member pivotally-inounted on said actuating arm and located to-be grasped simultaneously therewith.

7. In a-sewing machine including a bracketarm having a head, a presser-barmountd in the head, and a press'er-bar lifting member, the combination therewith of a cam rotatably supported on thehead with its .cam surface in cooperativeengagement 7 with the lifting member, all-actuating arm'for said earn, cam-locking means adapted to lock the cam inany one of a number of positions, and a lock release member mounted'ad jacent said actuating. arm' in a position to be grasped simultaneously therewith.

8.v In a sewing maching includinga bracketarm' havinga head, a presser bar mounted in cured to the head, a lever pivotally mounted on the plate, a cam surface on the lever in cooperative engagement with the lifting member, said lever having an arm constituting an actuating handle, and means mounted on the lever with freedom for movement relatively thereto into and out of locking engagement with the said plate.

9. In a sewing machine including a bracketarm having a head, a presser-bar mounted in the head, and a presser-bar lifting member, the combination therewith of a lever pivotally supported adjacent the head, a second lever pivotally mounted on the first lever and located to be grasped simultaneously therewith, a cam associated with the first lever and arranged in cooperative engagement with said lifting member, and lever locking means controlled by said second lever.

10. A presser-foot lifting unit comprising a mounting plate having notches in one edge thereof, a substantially T-shaped lever pivotally mounted on the plate, a cam surface formed on one arm of the lever, a latch mounted on another arm of the lever with freedom for movement into and out of engagement with said notches, the third arm of the lever forming an actuating handle therefor, and a latch controlling member mounted on said third arm.

11. A presser-foot lifting unit comprising a mounting plate, a substantially T-shaped lever pivotally mounted on the plate, a cam surface formed on one arm of the lever, a member mounted on another arm of the lever with freedom for movement into and out of locking engagement with the mounting plate, the third arm of the lever forming an actuating handle therefor, and manual control means for said member also mounted on the lever and located to be grasped simultaneously with the actuating handle.

12. A presser-foot lifting unit comprising a mounting plate, a substantially T-shaped lever pivotally mounted on the plate, a cam surface formed on one arm of the lever, and spring-controlled means for locking the lever to the plate mounted on second and third arms of the lever, the third arm of the lever forming a lever actuating handle.

13. A presser-foot lifting unit comprising a mounting plate, a lever pivotally mounted on the plate and incorporating an actuating handle and a cam, a member mounted on the lever with freedom for movement into and out of locking engagement with the mounting plate, and manual control means for said member also mounted on the lever and located to be grasped simultaneously with the actuating handle.

JOHN P. ENOS. 

